Norwich Art Galleries

(Norwich, Norfolk, England, UK)

Although there are a number of small art galleries dotted around the centre of Norwich, most are simply glorified art shops selling paintings and prints. The Norwich Castle Museum and Art Gallery is especially noteworthy and known for its historical art works created by the esteemed Norwich School of painters, which was founded in the early part of the 19th century and inspired by the sheer beauty of Norfolk.

Located on the western side of Norwich city and within the campus of the University of East Anglia, the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts is approximately a 20-minute drive from the Castle Meadow, where it lies alongside the River Yare. This stylish art gallery is housed in a contemporary glass-clad cube-shaped building designed by acclaimed English architect Norman Foster.


Regular art exhibitions at the Forum centre are always popular, and this building regularly attracts in excess of two million visitors annually. Those holidaying in Norwich in the latter half of May will be lucky enough to be able to join in the festivities during the Norfolk Open Studios event, where regional artists open up their otherwise private art studios.

The Forum

Address: 2 Millennium Plain, Bethel Street, Norwich, Norfolk, NR2 1TF, England, UK
Tel: +44 01603 0727950
A striking community building sited across from the St. Peter Mancroft Church, the Forum is known for its dramatic horseshoe-shaped architecture, being comprised of glass walls and a curving roof. Construction of the Forum began in the late 1990s on the side of the former Central Library, which suffered considerable fire damage, at the cost of more than £60 million - funded by Norfolk County Council, Norwich City Council and the National Lottery's Millennium Commission. The Forum was officially opened and inaugurated in 2002, by Queen Elizabeth II, and stands at three storeys high. Inside you will discover regular changing art exhibitions, as well as the city's Millennium Library and an interactive attraction known as Origins, which is devoted to the history of the Norwich and Norfolk area over the past 2,000 years.
Open hours: daily - 07:00 to midnight
Admission: free

Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts

Address: University of East Anglia, University Drive, Norwich, Norfolk, NR4 7TJ, England, UK
Tel: +44 01603 593199
The Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts was opened in 1978, being built to accommodate the collection of more than 300 art works donated to the university by Sir Robert and Lady Lisa Sainsbury (of the supermarket fame). Over the subsequent years the collection has grown greatly and now includes paintings and sculptures by world-famous artists, such as Henry Moore (1898 to 1986), Sir Jacob Epstein (1880 to 1959) and Alberto Giacometti (1901 to 1966), as well as pieces from Africa, China, Colombia, Egypt, India, Japan, Mexico and Peru. By the end of the 1980s, it was necessary to increase the overall capacity of the Sainsbury Centre for Visual Arts and a subtle basement extension was planned, overlooking an artificial lake.
Open hours: Tuesday to Sunday - 10:00 to 17:00, closed Mondays including Bank Holidays
Admission: free